The present invention relates generally to the field of processing mail, and in particular to a method and system for the detection and tracking of categorized mail pieces to help improve the security of mail in the postal environment. More specifically, the present invention relates to the evaluation, detection and tracking of mail pieces received by postal agencies and by other commercial handlers or carriers of mail pieces. The present invention accomplishes this evaluation and tracking of categorized mail pieces through the use of a mail piece image capture and storage system, and an image recognition system.
Mail processing centers continually receive, process and deliver billions of pieces of mail, for example letters, bills, advertisements, packages, etc. To do this in an efficient and timely manner, the mail processing industry employs a large number of individuals, and countless machines for the processing of mail. When the mail is collected, it is brought to a processing center, where it is sorted and segregated from other mail based on categories such as weight, class of mail, and ZIP code direction.
Clerks, known as distribution clerks, sort local mail for delivery to individual customers. A growing proportion of distribution clerks are known as mail processors and operate optical character readers (OCRs) and bar code sorters to arrange mail according to destination. OCRs xe2x80x9creadxe2x80x9d the ZIP code and spray a bar code onto the mail. Bar code sorters then scan the code and sort the mail. Because this is significantly faster than older sorting methods, it is becoming the standard sorting technology in mail processing centers.
Nevertheless, a number of distribution clerks still operate old electronic letter-sorting machines in some locations. These clerks push keys corresponding to the ZIP code of the local post office to which each letter will be delivered. Still other clerks sort odd-sized letters, magazines, and newspapers by hand. In small facilities, some clerks perform all of the functions listed above. Once clerks and OCR""s have processed and sorted the mail, it is ready to be delivered.
The problem exists that the current OCR""s and distribution clerks do not have the capability to determine whether each mail piece contains xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d characteristics. The problem further exists that the mail distribution clerks do not have the knowledge, information or time to determine whether a mail piece contains xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d characteristics and should be segregated from other mail and more closely scrutinized before delivery.
Yet another problem is that there is no system in place for the process of specifying and detecting xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d characteristics of mail pieces so they can be traced throughout the mail system. Therefore, it would be nearly impossible to expel a mail piece after it has been initially screened for xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d characteristics.
The present invention overcomes these limitations by, for example, allowing for each piece of mail that goes out from the postal center to be scanned, identified and evaluated before it is allowed to leave the postal distribution center. The present invention further overcomes these limitations by using image recordation that allows for later characteristic detection, retrieval, and subsequent evaluation. Further, the present invention allows for the image capture and storage of each and every mail piece for a period of time, such that the later evaluation does not have to be undertaken in short periods of time. The present invention addresses the disadvantages and/or shortcomings of known prior art method and systems for mail processing and provides significant improvements there over.
The present invention addresses a method and system for screening mail that is brought into mail processing centers, and evaluating this incoming mail for certain mail piece characteristics and/or inconsistencies in the mail pieces. The present invention comprises a mail piece image capture and storage system, and an image recognition system to determine if certain xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d characteristics exist, and if so, to flag them for potential special handling.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a process and system for monitoring mail pieces and detecting xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d characteristics in mail pieces before they can be released for delivery.
Yet another object of the present invention is to achieve the above-mentioned object by subjecting mail pieces to an image recordation system to record specified characteristics of mail pieces.
Yet another object of the present invention is to achieve the above-mentioned object by comparing the stored image information with information or rules from a database to determine whether a mail piece should be flagged as matching the information or rules from the database.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism to identify and tag each piece of mail as it is being transitioned for outgoing mail.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism, which will capture images of each outgoing piece of mail that passes through a mailing center.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for storing and evaluating the information from the scan of each mail piece that passes in front of the image capture system.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism whereby the stored information of each mail piece can be retrieved at a later date or time for further inspection and evaluation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a central processing site for the image system such that the information contained therein can be easily retrieved and maintained.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system to detect organizations, names, address signatures, mail format signatures, etc., that are contained in the watch list.
Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent through the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, the drawings and the claims.
The present invention relates generally to the detection and tracking of xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d mail pieces from the postal system or other commercial handlers of mail pieces. More specifically, the present invention relates to the processing of mail in such a manner so as to detect xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d mail pieces, and to evaluate and track the mail through the postal system. The present invention accomplishes this detection and evaluation of xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d mail pieces through the use of an image capture system and an image recognition system.
The present invention allows a mail center operator to screen outgoing and incoming mail to detect certain characteristics in mail forms, and for detection of these characteristics of mail pieces before they are released for delivery. The preferred embodiment of the present invention uses an image capture device such as a camera system that is used as the invention""s xe2x80x9ceyesxe2x80x9d to detect xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d mail. The camera system generates a specific identification code or tag for each piece of mail that is passed in front of it. As each piece of mail is passed in front of the camera, the camera captures and stores the information of each mail piece in a database.
This information can be sent to various locations for further analysis and processing, such as comparison or cross-reference to various databases. The kind of information that is identified, stored, and evaluated includes existing address recognition, fictional return addresses, firm names or logos in return address, individual names in return address, mail recipient names and addresses, machine or handprint address flags, and mail piece formation features, among many others. This greatly improves the efficiency and durability of the system to detect and track xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d mail before it is released from the processing center. The camera system employs Address Recognition and other pattern use recognition techniques to record additional features of the mail in the recorded database. These features can then be queried to detect xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d characteristics. For example, the present invention can locate, read and record each return address to determine if it is valid. It can perform name recognition functions on mail recipients. It can extract feature signature codes from the addresses and produce mail formation signatures. It can interpret pre-defined xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d rules and flag items that meet the rules, for human examination, or directly signal an alarm. The TAG and Scheme information can be employed to physically locate the mail piece.
The database recognition system serves as a collection point for all the information that is collected from the mail pieces that are passed in front of the camera. This database can then be queried via known database languages. Images that meet certain minimum threshold requirements can be routed to different locations for additional analysis.
The database is connected to the camera system and to postal sorting scheme information, flagging rules and updated xe2x80x9cWatchxe2x80x9d databases for each mail processing machine with which the present invention may be associated. The scheme information is employed to track the physical location of each mail piece that is scanned and analyzed.
The present invention also performs a variety of additional analysis on each image to produce clues that can be associated with the image. Processing takes place in real time and can be scaled to keep up with the mail volume that might be necessary in any given postal facility. Further, the present invention can interpret the database rules set to determine if the clues should cause warning flags to be set in the database system. The postal service or commercial agency employing the present system will download the criteria, which are to be used as warning tools to set off warning flags. Some of the criteria which can be scrutinized to warn of xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d mail include return address location and reading, recipient name reading, indicia recognition, logo recognition, recipient address formation, mail piece formation features, machine or handprint address flags, and many others.
The present invention""s database can interface with one or more graphology analyzers to determine mail piece signatures. Every address and every mail piece image can be reduced to a set of signature features that described the address and piece formation. These features are used by the system to determine whether the address or mail piece formation match any signatures in a watch list. The database system of the present invention records recorded images in compressed binary codes. The TAG, image address and all clues obtained from the image are recorded into the database. To limit the number of images stored, the system can be configured so that only images that have clues that meet the minimum xe2x80x9cWatchxe2x80x9d threshold will be recorded.
Further, once xe2x80x9cwatchxe2x80x9d mail has been detected, the mail can then be routed though various different procedures for special processing.